Elm Tree Reforestation Earth Day Event!
An American Elm from Afton MN with natural resistance.
Join us in the first reforestation of American Elm Trees!
Earth Day 2023
April 22 9-4
6601 Auto Club Rd
Bloomington MN 55438
Help plant 50 American Elm Trees in the first-ever reforestation of American Elm trees cultivated with a natural resistance to Dutch Elm disease from native Minnesota trees.
In 1930 there were approximately 77 million elm trees in the US. By 1989 over 75% of those trees had been lost due to Dutch Elm Disease. American Elms are one of the most important trees of the North American forest but Dutch Elm Disease ruined the population. The loss was devastating to many North American cities. Our neighborhoods, once lined by the tall majestic canopy of leaves created by elms, were replaced with stumps and small trees. Many of these small trees are not native and aren’t able to provide the habitat, air quality cleaning, carbon sequestration, and shade that were provided by the American Elms.
Working with the University of Minnesota’s Invasive Species Lab, the Elm Tree Restoration Project will begin reestablishing American Elms in our woods. The lab has identified strains of American Elms that are resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. There will be a total of 50 trees planted, 10 from each of the 4 strains and 10 from a control group.
This project will be the Green Crew’s first step into a larger world of repopulating our forests and being on the front end of new scientific studies.
To participate on one of the Tree Planting team: 13+
By popular demand we have added programming for kids 3-13. For more infomation please go here.
The Elm Tree Restoration project is led by Green Crew co-founder and VP of Training, Hannah Barisonzi. This project is also acting as her Eagle Scout project.
Green Crew leadership members trained by Hannah will be leading work teams on the days of the project.
Yes.
If you would like to have your participation qualify for community service hours, please let us know when you arrive.
This time can be for NHS, graduation requirements, ScoutsBSA conservation hours, or other required community service hours.
No. Please join us on Saturday, April 22 for Earth Day.
We will work from 9-Noon, have lunch, and then work from 1-4.
If you need to leave at lunch we understand — still, come!
If you can’t join us until lunch, we understand — still, come!
While we hope to get all of the work done on Saturday, we are also planning to be working on Sunday, April 23rd at same time — 9-4 with a lunch at noon. We would like to get volunteers for both days.
Yes. We would love to accommodate your group to volunteer at this activity.
Your group will have the opportunity to work as a work team or be spread out across multiple teams.
On the RSVP form signify that you are registering as a group and extra details can be communicated there.
We will have all of the supplies and tools you will need. After you RSVP you will receive an email confirmation that includes recommendations for what basic items to bring and what to wear on the day of the event.
Nothing!
This is a free volunteer service activity. Lunch and snacks will be provided.
All of the costs of the event are covered by donations.
If you are interested in donating to this event please Venmo @MINNESOTAVALLEYCHAPTER-IWLA
No.
Participation in the Elm Tree Restoration Project is open to all interested youth and adults.
Obviously if you discover you love us, we’d be happy for you to become a member! More information will be available at the event.
Click the link below!
If you did not plan on staying for lunch, please do. The current plan is sandwiches. Lots and lots of different kinds. But the real treat is that jeremy messersmith will be joining us.
jeremy messersmith is an indie pop singer-songwriter and one of Minnesota’s most recognized and celebrated artists, praised by The New York Times, NPR, USA Today, Paste Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Spin, and Rolling Stone among many others. A thoughtful, clever lyricist with a tender voice, the Minneapolis-based troubadour crafts songs that are catchy and relatable, and span the emotional gamut from poignancy to whimsy. jeremy shares our deep commitment to nature — and trees.
We will be doing a sing-along of his song “Little Blue World” [Lyrics], [YouTube]
We understand that some groups prefer to work together– this provides them a team-building opportunity. We would like to accommodate this as much as possible. We also appreciate that not everyone is physically prepared to do the same work. We have multiple roles, some of which are very physical and some which are not. If you would like to work together as a team, please let us know before April 16th. If you have members of your school group requiring special accommodation to have a meaningful activity, please let us know before April 16th.
